Shizuoka’s Valynce Te Whare out for 10 months following ACL injury

Shizuoka Blue Revs wing Valynce Te Whare has been ruled out for 10 months after being diagnosed with a ruptured ACL.

The 25-year-old, who joined the club in 2024 after being released by NRL side the Dolphins, has starred on his return to the 15-man game with 14 tries in 28 appearances in League One.

Te Whare scored in the 26-21 loss against Honda Heat on February 22 on the half-hour mark before injury struck with just six minutes left in the game.

Shizuoka’s Waikato native - whose already being talked about as a potential Brave Blossoms by Japanese fans and journalists - has been one of the club’s top performers this term as they’ve struggled to reach the same heights of last season when they secured a surprise play-off spot.

Te Whare leads Japan’s top-flight for line breaks with 17 and is second in the individual standings for metres gained (732m) behind only countryman Shaun Stevenson (738m) who has been in scintillating form for Kubota Spears.

© Shizuoka Blue Revs

Shizuoka are led by talismanic captain Kwagga Smith while they boast a star-studded backline which includes Fijian star Semi Radradra, ex-All Black-turned Tonga international Charles Piutau as well as Japan internationals Shuntaro Kitamura and Sam Greene and uncapped speedster Kakeru Okumura.

The Yamaha stadium outfit sit seventh after 10 rounds and are nine points adrift of a top-six play-off berth. Champions Toshiba Brave Lupus, who have lost four consecutive games, have accumulated 25 points while Shizuoka have picked up 16 points with a record of three wins and seven defeats.

Injuries have been a crucial factor in Shizuoka’s difficult first half of the season but they still boast enough talent to take the play-off race down to the final round in May.

© Shizuoka Blue Revs

Highly-rated fly-half Kenta Iemura is already out for the season after dislocating and fracturing his ankle in February.

Hooker Toshiya Hirakawa’s season is also over after suffering a Right Achilles tendon rupture in January.

Australia-born Sam Greene has not played since 10 January which has been his only appearance of the season. South African scrum-half Sanele Nohamba has also endured a spell on the sidelines and like Green, his only outing this season was the away loss to Saitama Wild Knights in round four.

In more positive news for the play-off hopefuls, Wales-qualified flanker Richard Goh-Jones is close to returning after being out of action for 13 months.

The Japan-born player, who last played on 11 January 2025, has 30 League One caps to his name and is understood to be on the Welsh Rugby Union’s radar.

Shizuoka return to action next week with a trip to Tabai Matson’s in-form Black Rams Tokyo who are closing in on a League One play-off place for the first time.

Fifth-placed hosts Black Rams are led by TJ Perenara and have won their last three games.